1. Field
The various embodiments of the present invention relate to valve devices and methods for controlling the distribution of materials.
2. Description of Related Art
Current devices for controlling the distribution of materials from one source to one or more destinations suffer from drawbacks when the materials being distributed are not dry solids and are, for example, tacky materials or pellet-fluid slurries. In many situations, tacky materials, slurries, or other like materials are distributed through existing valve devices, difficulties arise when the valve includes more than one outlet or destination. Typically, these valves require that the flow of such fluids or materials must be stopped before the valve changes positions from one outlet to another. The existing valves that do allow for a change in position without stopping the flow of the entering fluid or material often have areas within the valve that are flooded (i.e., areas where fluids or materials have built up from prior cycling of the valve position). The build-up of such fluids or materials can potentially cause damage to the valve (e.g., if the fluid or material contains corrosive, reactive, tacky, or other potentially-damaging components) and the degradation of the materials within the build-up areas and/or cross contamination of older materials with newer materials. Accordingly, there exists a need for improved valve devices and methods for distributing the flow materials, particularly but not limited to tacky materials.